2022 was our tenth 12 months on honeymoon, Buddy the Camper’s fifth 12 months within the household, and the 12 months we reached the seventieth nation on our 7-continent journey. Hitting a decade of nomadic dwelling, we felt a deep sense of gratitude. Back in 2012 we began touring to have fun our marriage, however because the years have gone on, we realized it’s the native communities and pristine environments that want celebrating. While we’ve at all times been eco-conscious, we needed to be extra deliberate in our route, partnerships, and journey suggestions. Because with a little bit of analysis and knowledgeable decisions, having enjoyable can be doing good. We created a brand new aim for 2022 (and past)…we weren’t simply going to journey to essentially the most swoon-worthy locations, we have been happening a quest to search out The World’s Most Romantic and Sustainable Destinations. This introduced us to French Polynesia, Costa Rica, Bhutan, Slovenia…and we’re simply getting began! And with each place we companion with, we’re volunteering when doable and giving again 5% of our earnings to the communities and environments that make each so particular.
Here are our journey highlights from 2022 (together with some our households don’t even find out about) and experiences we hope will encourage your individual journey!
10 Years of HoneyTrek in 7 Minutes
To commemorate our decade on honeymoon and all of the unbelievable locations, individuals, and experiences which have touched our lives within the course of, we took on the huge activity of turning 10 years price of movies right into a 7-minute spotlight reel. It took a stable month to edit down 1000’s of movies and (with the assistance of an unbelievable editor) finesse our 300 greatest clips into one thing that advised our story. Starting with leaving our dwelling in New York City and flying into the wilds of the Amazon Jungle, like the 2 clueless metropolis youngsters we have been, you see our struggles and triumphs as we transfer from South America, Africa, Asia, Oceania, Europe, The Middle East, Central America, The Caribbean, Antarctica, to North America. The range of experiences made us recognize the highs and lows, and notice that there isn’t any such factor as a misadventure. Watch the video above for the most effective of HoneyTrek at a look.
HoneyTrek in People Magazine
Our tenth 12 months on Honeymoon bought a good quantity of media consideration, together with an interview with Mario Lopez on Access Hollywood and a TV section on Australia’s largest morning present, however the one we have been most happy with was this People Magazine characteristic. In a publication extra typically reserved for first women, olympians, and A-listers, we had the possibility to share a few of our favourite tales and tricks to make journey part of extra lives.
More HoneyTrek Press Highlights: Expedia’s Out Travel the System Podcast, US News & World ReportWashington Post’s Mansion Global Magazine, Mariposa Gazette, , and The Times of India (together with this media blitz that ensued throughout our go to to Kerala).
Walking Safari throughout Osa Peninsula, Costa Rica
Tennessee Music Blitz
The dwelling of the blues, nation, and rock n’ roll, Tennessee has such a wealthy music historical past. But contemplating its additionally the homestate of half my household, we form of took that without any consideration…till this May! To lay a greater basis, we took Memphis’ Backbeat Tours, the place a dwell musician and main Memphis historian tells the story of this musical metropolis via track. We adopted that up with a visit to Graceland to take a look at Elvis’ pad, airplane, automobiles, and a museum to the King of Rock and Roll. The month of May can be the annual Beale Street Music Festival, the place 70+ bands from the Mississippi Delta to Ghana Africa got here to get down. Megan Thee Stallion, The Counting Crows, Grace Potter, Weezer, Shaggy, Modest Mouse and Van Morrison have been only a few favorites to grace the stage. (See our Memphis Reel right here) Everyone is aware of that Nashville is the house of nation music, however few notice that neighboring Franklin & Leiper’s Fork are the place its nation royalty dwell and groom rising stars. Leiper’s Fork could also be a village of solely 650 individuals, however a few of its residents embody Chris Stapleton, Keith Urban, Nicole Kidman, and Justin Timberlake. Music runs via the veins of this city and their previous nation retailer is a premier venue. We heard about Fox & Locke’s legendary Thursday open-mic evening, the place artists are sometimes previous or future Grammy nominees, and we have been blown away by all 20 acts—be it a teenage lady with an enormous set of pipes or the author for that “Night Shift” track that’s everywhere in the radio. Down the highway in Franklin, the FirstFinancial institution Amphitheater has turned an deserted quarry from a trash heap to probably the most distinctive and sustainable music venues. We would’ve seen any live performance simply to expertise this candy new spot, however we had the great fortune of catching the legendary Willie Nelson! Read our weblog concerning the secret music hubs of Tennessee.
Canoeing America’s First National River and Celebrating its fiftieth Year!
Kayaking and canoeing is our comfortable place and paddling the beautiful Buffalo River within the sheer canyons of Arkansas was pure bliss! The National Park System manages this 95,000 acres of Northwest Arkansas wilderness, full with verdant mountains, limestone cliffs, elk herds, historic villages, and naturally, this epic river. Paddling from Ponca, Arkansas to Kyle’s Landing, we plied this beautiful 10-mile stretch and hopped out for hikes to a number of waterfalls–together with the tallest cascade between the Rockies and the Appalachians! To high all of it off we stayed at Buffalo Outdoor Center’s most romantic mountaintop cabin with a sizzling tub to absorb the valley views and numerous stars on this International Dark Sky Park. Watch this video on our Buffalo River journey and examine our full Northwest Arkansas Trip right here.
Visiting India Together…at Last!
Before we met, Mike and I every took backpacking journeys to India. Its 5,000+ years of civilization and billion individuals of unbelievable range left a deep impression on each of us and it was about time we skilled the subcontinent collectively. Our first cease was Goa, the place we stayed in an AMAZING Nineteenth-century Indo-Portuguese mansion, explored the UNESCO-protected previous city, and danced on the seashores with tens of 1000’s of Indians for his or her seventy fifth Independence Day. Then we hopped an in a single day practice (which was its personal wild journey) to Kerala. Tucked between the Western Ghats and the Arabian Sea, Kerala is a spot so stunning it’s known as “God’s Own Country.” Famous for his or her tea plantations, backwater canals, lengthy stretches of seashore, colonial structure, and harmonious mix of religions, Kerala didn’t disappoint. Watch our video about the historical port metropolis of Kochi, see our gallery from Munnar tea nation, and see our full spotlight reel from our India journey. No matter how seasoned a traveler you might be, India will at all times maintain you in your toes and light-weight up your senses.
National Honeymoon Day
Honeyfund, the world’s #1 honeymoon registry, had the good thought to start out this vacation and guess who they requested to be their spokespeople? They did an enormous press launch on the significance of honeymoons, with some fascinating stats on how that preliminary newlywed journey makes for stronger, longer marriages with a number of quotes from HoneyTrek. To additional the celebration and share some journey ideas, we did an Instagram Live with Honeyfund and a juicy Ultimate Journeys for Two giveaway.
Covering the Re-opening of Bhutan for Travel & Leisure Magazine
A Himalayan Kingdom that has solely been open to the skin world since 1974, and a rustic that measures success by Gross National Happiness, Bhutan has at all times intrigued us. Adding to the thriller of “The Land of the Thunder Dragon,” they took pandemic precautions to a brand new degree and closed their borders for the final 2.5 years. The nation lastly opened to guests on September twenty third of 2022…however via a collection of governmental hoops and a stroke of magic, we have been invited in early to point out that Bhutan is again and higher than ever. It was an unbelievable honor to be among the many first vacationers to expertise the “New Bhutan” and cowl the nation’s grand reopening for Travel & Leisure. It was difficult unraveling the slew of latest tourism insurance policies (particularly when half the conferences have been held within the Dzongkha language!) however it was price all the trouble to focus on this particular place. For a deep dive into the magic of this nation, learn the HoneyTrek weblog on trekking to the well-known Tiger’s Nest, flying within the cockpit over Mount Everest, attending a masks dance pageant, glamping at 12,000 ft, river rafting previous Seventeenth-century fortresses, sleeping in Buddhist temples, planting bushes, sharing tea with nomadic cow herders, and discovering pleasure in one of many world’s happiest international locations.
Croatia Power Couples Boat Trip
As a pair who gave up just about all the pieces (home, automotive, job, group, most possessions, and so on.) to comply with a dream, we’re at all times looking out for our tribe. Pairs like this may be arduous to come back by, so once we bought invited to a week-long “Power Couples” boat journey in Croatia, we didn’t assume twice. Sailing from Split to the distant islands of Kornati National Park and lesser-known seaside villages of the Adriatic, we bought to bond and study from fellow {couples} operating their very own companies, dwelling nomadic life, and charting their very own path. Not to say, {that a} personal boat journey alongside the Dalmatian coast is one of the simplest ways to shake the vacationers and see the serene aspect of Croatia.
Bosnia & Herzegovina Road Trip
When our Croatia boat journey ended, we continued our energy {couples} journey with our long-time journey blogger buddies Max and Oksana of Drink Tea & Travel. Sure we might have explored extra of Croatia by land, however we determined to dig right into a lesser-known area of former Yugoslavia…Bosnia & Herzegovina. Flashbacks of the Nineties Bosnian War maintain many vacationers away, however allow us to inform you, this nation is a gem! Clifftop castles, craggy mountains, East-meets-West structure, and locals who’re genuinely comfortable to see you, B & H had us extending our journey for extra. Reconsider this vacation spot and add these locations to your itinerary: The open-air museum of Počitelj village, Kravica Waterfall, Fortress of Herzog, the UNESCO bridge and metropolis of Mostar, Blagaj Dervish Monestary, Aleksin Han lookout & the cliffs alongside the Neretva River, and the fascinating capital of Sarajevo. Bosnia & Herzegovina should still have its battle scars, however vacationers who give the nation an opportunity assist them heal.
Sailing from Castle to Castle in Trieste, Italy
After we spent every week crewing a yacht in French Polynesia in fall 2021, Captain Jasna Tuta stated to us “If you are ever in Italy, you are always welcome on my boat.” We had a lot enjoyable attending to know this fellow world traveler and studying from a grasp sailor that we couldn’t move up that invite! After our former-Yugoslavia journey, we took a particular detour to Trieste to sail from fort to fort on her signature tour with an in a single day extension. Just like previous occasions, she had us hoisting sails, setting anchors, even giving us turns on the helm. Jasna spent 9 years crusing all over the world however her hometown of Trieste is the place she docks a chunk of her coronary heart. When she’s not instructing the blind to sail or writing bestselling books, she’s main journeys between the beautiful Duino and Miramare castles. We watched sundown hit the ocean cliffs, cooked hip-to-hip within the hull, and swapped nomad tales like previous occasions, to culminate certainly one of our favourite weekends of the 12 months.
New Public Speaking Gigs: Sustainable Travel
We spoke at 5 journey tradeshows this 12 months, giving talks from “Succeeding as a Digital Nomad” at The Travel Summit in Canada to “Growing Your Business with Influencer Marketing” on the Glamping Show USA. Though we’re most happy with the first-ever sustainability panel at The Travel & Adventure Show. We spoke at this multi-city present in San Francisco again in 2021 and once we didn’t see the subject of sustainability being coated in a significant method, we requested if we might be part of forces with different green-minded journey execs for a panel dialogue and Q&A. Our aim was to tell vacationers’ journey planning and decision-making to decrease their carbon footprint, assist native communities, and have a constructive impression wherever they go. It was such successful that we’ll be bringing the panel to extra Travel & Adventure Shows in 2023.
Oktoberfest Snowbird Style
We didn’t count on fall to be soooo spectacular in Utah. In lower than half-hour from downtown Salt Lake City we have been surrounded by craggy mountains below a blanket of purple and gold. Just a few curves later we pulled into Snowbird, one of many nation’s premier ski resorts and legendary Oktoberfests. Started in 1972 by a yodeling tram-operator and some of Salt Lake’s German immigrants, this pageant of beer and mountain merriment simply celebrated its fiftieth 12 months. We joined the Bavarian-style get together with 1000’s twirling about of their lederhosen, then rode the chair elevate to 11,000 ft for hefeweizens overlooking the Wasatch Range. Salt Lake City is so near the mountains, we might have made this a day journey, however as an alternative we checked into the ultra-fabulous Alta Chalets to get pleasure from sundown from our sizzling tub and a dawn hike from our entrance door. Watch our reel for this scenic fall drive, must-do beer pageant, certainly one of our new favourite mountaineering trails, and an unforgettable weekend getaway.
Skydiving over Yosemite
I was at all times on the fence about skydiving, however a scenic flight round Yosemite National Park that culminates with free-falling over this iconic swath of terrain made me take the leap! Watch us fly previous Half Dome, then backflip from 14,000 ft. For our favourite issues to do round Yosemtie and the inspiring individuals behind them, see this weblog.
Glamping Consulting Workshops
After reviewing 200+ boutique accommodations and glamping camps all over the world, we determined to share what we’ve realized with rising glampgrounds and assist them create an unforgettable visitor expertise. We began our HoneyTrek Glamping Consulting & Creative Services again in 2020 and this fall it grew to become a correct side-hustle, conducting 10 programs within the month of November alone with extra to come back within the new 12 months! From current glam camps like Basecamp Resort to an superior regenerative resort that’s brewing outdoors of DC, these aren’t simply properties, these are goals that we’re so proud to assist convey to fruition!
England Housesit & Girls Trip
???? For my candy sixteen, my mother gave me journey to London and it opened up my view of the world. So for her milestone…
Posted by HoneyTrek on Saturday, December 3, 2022
When we take a trans-Atlantic flight, we wanna take advantage of it (for ourselves and the planet)! So for our latest journey to London for World Travel Market, we determined to show a three-day tradeshow right into a five-week keep in Europe…beginning with a housesit within the English countryside! Caring for a 400-year-old thatched cottage and 17-year-old Jack Russell was a bit intimidating at first, however the householders and group of Winslow made us really feel like household! We adored our time on this historic city…strolling the High Street, buying the farmer’s markets, and supporting our native pub (the householders left us pint cash to verify did ???? When they requested if we might additionally care for his or her daughter’s canine, we bartered it for 2 houseguests! It was a daring ask, however my mother was having a milestone birthday and my sister had by no means traveled overseas with HoneyTrek…so a ladies’ journey was meant to occur! They joined us for a couple of days within the cottage, then we went on a highway journey via the picture-perfect Cotswold countryside (video right here), a day journey to the hallowed college city of Oxford, and three days in London for theater, museums, wonderful meals, and mother-daughter-sister-time. With all of the love and household enjoyable, this will likely have been our greatest housesit but.
Michelin-Star Dining Across Slovenia
HoneyTrek Cares
To present our love and assist for the great communities and ecosystems we explored this 12 months, we’re proud to have donated to OsaConservation.org, ASCONA’s group library, Buffalo River Foundation, Mariposa Trails, the Yosemite Climbing Association, The Mariposa Community Foundation, Equality Utah, Cottonwood Canyons, The Bhutan Foundation and the Harpeth River Conservancy, plus volunteered with The Bhutan Ecological Society, Mariposa Trails, and The Franklin Giving Garden. Thank you to all these organizations for his or her significant work and for sharing a chunk of your world with us!
What do you assume was the spotlight of the 12 months?
HoneyTrek 2023 Travel Preview
To present our love and assist for the great communities and ecosystems we explored this 12 months, we’re proud to have donated to OsaConservation.org, ASCONA’s group library, Buffalo River Foundation, Mariposa Trails, the Yosemite Climbing Association, The Mariposa Community Foundation, Equality Utah, Cottonwood Canyons, The Bhutan Foundation and the Harpeth River Conservancy, plus volunteered with The Bhutan Ecological Society, Mariposa Trails, and The Franklin Giving Garden. Thank you to all these organizations for his or her significant work and for sharing a chunk of your world with us!
What do you assume was the spotlight of the 12 months?
- Tournament of Roses. We’re kicking off 2023 with a correct New Year’s custom, the Rose Parade & Rose Bowl soccer sport! This 12 months it’s Penn State vs Utah and Buddy the Camper might be there tailgating with bells on.
- Xscapers Bash. Each 12 months this group of younger RVers will get collectively for every week of music, video games, community-building, and information sharing (together with a chat by HoneyTrek!).
- Sonoma County for Valentine’s Day! Sonoma is a robust candidate to affix our record of The World’s Most Romantic and Sustainable Destinations so we’re excited to see the inexperienced aspect of California wine nation.
- ITB Berlin. The largest journey tradeshow on the planet occurs each March in Germany and we’re lastly gonna test it out then see what sort of enjoyable we are able to rise up to in Germany and Switzerland.
- Bulgaria Ski Trip. Who’s been snowboarding in Bulgaria? No one we all know…however that’s why we’re checking it out. Friends of ours are contemplating main winter journey excursions there and we’re comfortable to be there guinea pigs, alongside 20 snow-bunny buddies!
- Greece. There are a pair island teams that are main the cost for sustainable journey within the Mediterranean so we’ll be contemplating these for the record too, and consuming a number of vegan gyros within the course of!
- Montana Wedding. Dear buddies of ours are getting married at Bridger Bowl outdoors Bozeman so we’ll take this chance to highway journey the Rockies whereas we’re within the neighborhood.
Africa. Nothing is formally on the docket but however we’re placing it out to the universe…we’re going again and exploring new international locations like Rwanda, Botswana, and Namibia! We need our record of the World’s Most Romantic & Sustainable Destinations to cowl all of the continents, so Africa is a should and an utter delight.
Where do you assume we must always go in 2023? We at all times love listening to your ideas!